Mothers pension boost in Germany. Benefits in Germany. Raising children is a big challenge, but also brings great value to society. Germany recognizes the hard work of mothers who dedicate their time to caring for children by offering them higher pension benefits. The latest data shows that over 10 million mothers will see their pensions increase by up to 200 euros per month. This is thanks to counting the time spent raising children as part of their work record. How does it work, and what are the benefits? Read on to learn more about these important changes.
€200 Pension Increase for Mothers Raising Children
Mothers who gave birth before 1992 can receive an extra 30 months of “parenting periods” towards their pension. This adds up to a maximum of 2.5 earnings points for each child, which translates to an increase of about 197 euros per month. This measure is designed to compensate for the time spent caring for children, which often resulted in breaks in their professional careers.
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For mothers of children born after December 31, 1991, up to 3 years (36 months) of parenting periods are counted. This results in an additional 3 earnings points, leading to an average pension increase of 236 euros per month. Furthermore, parenting periods up to the child’s 10th birthday are included, helping to fill gaps in the insurance history and making early retirement easier.
Germans View Maternity Pensions as a Wise Investment
The pension system and the state budget allocate significant resources to recognize the upbringing of children. In 2023, 21.7 billion euros were spent on pension benefits for this purpose. However, pension expert Peter Knöppel, quoted by the portal rentenbescheid24.de, explains that this is money that benefits society as a whole. “Every additional pension for mothers is not only financial support, but also an appreciation of their contribution to raising the next generations,” he said. Will other countries follow suit in the future? Only time will tell.